1. Marketing, Monetizing, and Mobilizing eBooks:
How Content Creators Can Maximize on the Potential of Digital Publishing
Mercy Pilkington
September 17, 2014

2. Experience the DCL Difference
DCL blends years of conversion experience with cutting-edge technology and
the infrastructure to make the process easy and efficient.
• World-Class Services
• Leading-Edge Technology
• Unparalleled Infrastructure
• US-Based Management
• Complex-Content Expertise
• 24/7 Online Project Tracking
• Automated Quality Control
• Global Capabilities

3. Valuable Content Transformed
• Document Digitization
• XML and HTML Conversion
• eBook Production
• Hosted Solutions
• Big Data Automation
• Conversion Management
• Editorial Services
• Harmonizer

4. We Serve a Very Broad Client Base . . .

5. . . . Spanning All Industries
• Aerospace
• Associations
• Defense
• Distribution
• Education
• Financial
• Government
• Libraries
• Life Sciences
• Manufacturing
• Medical
• Museums
• Periodicals
• Professional
• Publishing
• Reference
• Research
• Societies
• Software
• STM
• Technology
• Telecommunications
• Universities
• Utilities

6. Monetizing:
What are we really saying?
• Selling and (hopefully) profiting from the distribution of content
• Spreading ideas contained within a document or title because it
leads to further profit/sales (using an ebook as a “calling card”)
• Selling ad space or product review content on a blog or website

7. What is this content that you’re
marketing and monetizing?
• Traditional concept of an ebook
• Blog and blog-to-book
• Archived content
• Podcasts that can be repurposed into an audiobook
• Video of trainings, presentations, lectures
• Academic papers and theses

8. Traditional Books
The standard idea of an ebook—whether fiction or non-fiction—is
the downloadable file of content.
It’s often a similar but not identical version of a print counterpart.
This file is meant for consumption on any number of reading
pathways, whether it’s a dedicated reading device, a tablet, a PC,
or a smartphone.
The type of device your reader will use will depend on the type of
writing this is, and your plan of action must include that
consideration.

9. Short Is the New Long
A recent DCL and Bowker webinar on book promotion made
an incredible point…the definition of a book is changing.
But shorter content that is refreshed and made available
with a faster-than-ever turnaround time is appealing to a
broader audience of readers.
Print is not going away, so print is still a vital format for your
content, but digital has changed the definition of a book.

10. Blog and Blog-to-Book
• Monetizing a blog is a known concept, often
accomplished through ads or through subscriptions and
paywalls.
• Since the web-using public is used to free access to
information, monetizing your content while still on the
website can be difficult.
• But if you have a blog, you’ve got the instant makings of
an ebook.

11. Excellent example of a blog-to-book
concept based on the work of writer
Allie Brosh and her website of the
same name,
HyperboleAndAHalf.com.
Mixture of new and previously
published content.
Wordpress plugins are actually
available that will help grab your
content off your blog and arrange it
into an ebook form.

12. Archived Content
• Back news stories
• Previously published articles on industry topics
• Journal articles, public information pieces

13. Podcasts and Videos
A book isn’t only a book. An ebook certainly isn’t just a book.
It’s a file, and the information can be contained in a number
of different formats.
With previous recordings or podcasts, the content can be
repurposed into an audiobook through the increasing number
of audiobook self-publishing platforms.
Video content can also be reimagined into a single unit that
contains information, or can be embedded within a text-based
ebook to create an enhanced ebook.

14. Academic Papers
More and more people are taking work that was previously
a chore and turning it into a revenue source or reputation
calling card.
An increasing number of would-be authors are publishing
their theses, senior projects, and portfolios as ebooks,
using it as a stepping stone in opening doors and as a
revenue stream.
Another option is the publication of an existing work,
alongside a companion “reader’s edition” that is being
restructured for a broader audience of consumer-readers.

15. Bundled Content
Do not forget the value-added appeal of combining
several titles into one digital document. This not only
creates the impression that this author or rights’ holder
cares about the readers’ time and money, but it’s also a
great way to monetize the backlist.

16. What Tools Do You Have to Master?
• Social media (including Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest)
• A newsletter whose subscriber base grows
• A blog or other interactive website
• The ability to produce a forum or comments section
• Archiving materials for repurposing
• Traditional forms of media
• Review and book promotion sites
• The public library space

17. Price Matters
It doesn’t matter how great your content is if the
price isn’t right. There is such a thing as too
expensively, obviously. But there’s also such a thing
as too cheap.
There are great reports out there on how to price
your content, but remember that the price must be
malleable. Change it as a promotional strategy, as a
tool to monetize your next title, or just to encourage
reader engagement.

18. Don’t Overlook the Value of Free
There are a wide variety of ways an ebook can be a
valuable marketing tool, even if the content of the ebook
isn’t what’s being sold.
This is true for fiction and non-fiction, for business or news
and entertainment.
Free is the gateway that gets people’s attention for further
content, and it’s also the thing that gets noticed by sites
that promote content.

19. Lending: Just Like Free,
Only Better
A number of platforms have opened up that will allow your
content to be made available for lending to paid subscribers
and to public and academic libraries.
These platforms have different payment models, but can
still result in revenue and royalty opportunities, despite the
model being free access.
Remember that some platforms may have eligibility
requirements, like Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.

20. How Do You Generate
Word of Mouth?
• How do you get people talking about your content?
Meet them where they are.
• Depending on your content, there are sources of
promotion that are geared to your ebook.
• Before this audience engagement can happen, there
has to be content for them to share and discuss.

21. The Power of Volume
OWN THE SHELF!
Too many authors or rights’ holders put content out there
and sit back waiting for the magic to happen.
The best way to promote a book is to get to work on a
follow-up title, whether it’s a romance series or a
compilation of academic papers.

22. Do Not Ignore the Potential
of Guest Spots
Writing for another’s website or online journal may seem
like a thankless chore, but there’s power in the author
bio.
Don’t pass up opportunities to write material for a site,
especially when the offer is made to review your content
and to hyperlink to it.
These appearances add to your overall credibility,
increase your exposure in search engines, and in general
expand the potential readership of your published work.

23. Don’t Fall for Book Promo Sites
without Doing Your Homework
There are a lot of promotion and marketing sites and
services out there, ranging in price from a few dollars to
multi-thousand dollar publicity campaigns.
Be aware that different sites and companies are right for
different kinds of books, so do your homework.
Also keep in mind that professional promotion services can
only put your book in front of potential readers…they cannot
force them to buy it. Let your professionals do their job, but
do your part with reader engagement as well.

24. Be Available
Multiple sources have found that one of the top
requests from readers after connecting with a book is
having a way to also connect with the author. Whether
it’s fiction or non-fiction, a method to get in touch and
share thoughts, ask questions, or seek deeper insight
is very valuable.
More importantly, it elevates your content from the
realm of just being a product to being a conversation.
When readers, regardless of format or genre, are able
to reach out to the authors or rights’ holders and
actually receive a genuine response, it moves the book
off the shelf and into their mindsets.

25. Q&A
Mercy Pilkington
CEO, Author Options
info@authoroptions.com